Device for coupling and uncoupling cars



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet' 1. J. N. SGARBQROUGH.

DEVICE FOR GOUPLING AND UNGOUPLING GARS.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. N. ,SCARBOROUGH DEVISE FOR GOU'PLING AND UNGOUPLING GARS. No. 412.124. Patented Oct. 1, 1889.

(NvModel.) l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' J. N; SCARBOROUGH.

DEVICE FOR GOUPLING AND UNGOUPLING No.4l2.,124. Patented .1,1889.

qm/tmowo UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

JOHN N. SCARBOROUGH, OF AMERIC'US, GEGRGIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,124, dated October 1, 1889. Application le. February 13, 1889. Serial No. 299,723. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit knownthat I, JOHN N. ScAEBoRoUeH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Americus, in the county ot Sumter and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Devices for Coupling and Uncoupling Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved de of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a portion of a train of cars equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view ot one of the cars having the invention applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail vieuT of the disk or indicater.. Fig. Ll is an end view of one'of the cars. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the coupling. Fig. G is afront view of the shaft-coupling box or block. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional vievsT of the latter. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line a: 5c of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the car-register. Fig. 10 isa detail view of a slight modication.

The same letters referto the same parts in all the gures.

.Each of the cars Ain the train to which my invention is applied is provided with a longitudinally-sliding shaft B, which is attached to the side of the car in any suitable and convenient position by means of the arms or brackets C C, the inner ends of which are mounted pivotally in the sockets D D. The latter are provided at their inner ends with the base-flanges E, which may be provided with friction-rollers F, and which are iitted so as to have a longitudinally-sliding motion in suitable hanged casings or boxes G, secured to the side of the car, and which are provided at one ot their ends with hinged or removable covers H, in order to enable the parts to be convenient-ly put together or taken apart, when occasion requires.

The arms or brackets C C are provided at their inner ends with slots I, in which are fitted springs J, bearing against the pivotingpins, so as to enable the said arms or brackets to play freely upon their respective pivots. Suitable springs may also be arranged in the casings or boxes G to bear against the sides of the sockets D, in order to retain thelatter in their properpositions.

The arms or brackets G C are provided at their outer ends With blocks or boxes, designated, respeetivelygby K and L. The boxes K have bearin gs for the shaft B, which is at the point of its bearing slightly reduced, so as to be retained securely in its box or bearing. At the box L the shaft B is divided, so as to form two separate sections M and N, as will be clearly seen in Fig. ofthe drawings. The rear section M of the shaft is provided with an annular groove O, registering with the corresponding annular groove P, formed in the box-casing L. ln this groove are placed the series of Jfriction-rollers Q, which serve the double purpose of retaining the shaftsection M securely in its box or bearing and enabling it to revolve freely therein. The front end ot the shaft -section M' is provided with a square or polygonal recess R, to receive a correspondingly-shaped nipple or extension S upon the rear end of the shaft-sectionN. The said shaft-section N is also .provided with an annular disk or iiange T, the periphery of which has a notch U. The box-casing L is provided at its front end with a daring or bell-shaped mouth or opening V, adapted to receive the flange T upon the shaft-section N. Suite-bly arranged in the said mouth or opening is a longitudinally-taperin g rib W, Withwhich the notch U in the ange T may be made to reg: ister, thus enabling the said iiange to enter the mouth or recess D. Then the flange T reaches the bottom of the recess V, the shaftsection N may be partly turned, thus bringing the rib W and notch U out of alignment IOO and preventing the withdrawal of the said shaft-section N, whichv is thereby coupled with the section M.

rlhe outer ends of the arms C', upon which the box-casings L are. mounted, are bent so as to form longitudinal brackets X, having slots Y, to receive lugs or studs Z, extending downwardly from the boxes L, which latter are thus permitted to play longitudinally with relation to the said arms or brackets. Springs A' are to be interposed in the slots Y, between the studs Z and the ends of the arms C'.

The box-casings .L may be and are preferably each constructed in two parts or sections in order to enable them to be conveniently adjusted upon the shaft-section M.

The car-coupling which is preferably used in connection with my invention comprises the draw-head D', which is arranged in the usual manner at the end of the car. The drawhead is provided with the mouth E', and with the vertical openings F', in which is arranged the vertically-sliding pin G', which has an upward extension H', sliding in a suitable guide-arm or bracket I'. A spring J' is coiled around the extension H' of the coupling-pin and bears against the under side of the bracket I', and against a shoulder K' formed upon the coupling-pin, which latter, by the action of the said spring, is forced automatically in a downward direction and retained safely in position when the cars are coupled. To the upper end of the extension of the coupling-pin is attached one end of an operating-cord L', which passes over a vertieal guide-pulley M', arranged at the end of the car, thence overa horizontal guide-pulley N', arranged at the .side of the ear, and to a block O', to which it .is attached. The block O' is attached to the under side of the outer end of an L-shaped lever P', the inner end of which is mounted upon the pivoting pin or bolt Q', by means of which the arm or bracket C is connected with the socket D, and which pin or bolt is extended upwardly for the purpose of sueh'attachment. It will be seen that by swinging the outer end of the lever P' in a forward direction the coupling-pin will be raised or lifted and the uncoupling effected.

R' designates a clip or saddle, which straddles the draw-head D', upon which it is secured detachably by means of a transverse pin P3, passing through the sides of the clip below the mouth of the draw-head, as shown. The lower end of said clip is provided with lugs or ears S' for the attachment of one end of a coiled spring T', the opposite end of which bears against and serves to support an inclined plate or guide U', which is hinged by means of pin P3 to the forward extension of the Iclip or saddle R', whereby the said guide-plate is brought into alignment with the lower edge of the mouth of the drawhead. The guide-plate U' is wider at its outer end, and it is provided at its sides with ilanges WV', which are -p'ivoted to the front end of the said guide-plate, connected by cross-pieces C4 under the same, and supported in a raised position by means of the spring T'. This guide-plate serves to guide thelink of the next adjoining car into position in the draw-head when the coupling is to be effected,

block or box L, and provided at its outer end with ya downwardly-extending rearwardlyfacing hook Y'. Each of the blocks O' is also provided with a downwardly-extending eye Z'. The hook Y' and the eye Z' are to engage, respectively, an eye and a hook extending radially from the shaft B, as will be presently more fully described. j The front end of the shaft B extends forwardly to the locomotive, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, in such a manner as to be within convenient reach of the engineer. At its front end the shaft is provided with adisk A2, by means of which it may be manipulated by the engineer. Said disk also forms an indicator, by means of which the shaft B may be turned to the proper position for uncou-pling any one of the cars of the train. This is effected in the following manner: The face of the disk is provided with numbers, from l upward, corresponding with the num- 'bers of the cars in the train, each of which has its number conspicuously displayed, as

will be seen at B2 in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

A pointer or indicator C2 is suitably arranged in a fixed position with relation to the revolving shaft, and to the said indicator may` be connected apivoted pawl D2, adapted to engage notches E2 in the periphery of disk A2, corresponding with the numbers thereon. It should be noted that the ring Vor iange'V in the mouth V of the shaftcoupling box L on each car must be located in precisely the same position, so that the said ribs throughoutthe entire train shall be in alignment with each other. The notches U in the flanges T of the shaft-sections N, on the contrary, are so disposed as to register with the numbers upon the indicator-disk A2. In other words, when the said disk is turned -so as to bring a certain number to register with the pointer C2 the shaft-section N, entering the coupling-box L of the car bearing a corresponding number, will be turned to such a position as to cause its notch U to register with the rib WV, thus enabling said shaft-section to be withdrawn from its coupling-box, while the shaft remains unbroken through the remainder of the length of the train. Thev disk having been turned to a proper position, it is pulled in a forward direction, thus withdrawing the IOO IIO

shaftfsection N of the car, to be uncoupled from the coupling-box L. The shaft-sections M and N. are provided, respectively, with an eye F2 and a hook G2, which, when the said shaft-sections are turned into position for uncoupling, extend directly upward, so as to engage, respectively, the hook Y 1and the eye Z described above. The hook Y intersects the shaft-section N, and prevents it, together with the coupling-box, from being drawn forward beyond a certain point, thus permitting the shaft-section N to be readily disengaged from the coupling-box. At the same time the hook G2 engages the eye Z upon the under side of the block O', which latter, as has been stated, is mounted at the outer end of lever T. When said block is drawn forwardly, it carries with it the operating-cord A', whereby the coupling-pin is raised against the tension of the spring J', and the uncoupling is effected. In order to couple the cars, the operation will be simply reversed.

H2 designates a car-register consisting of a suitable casing arranged in the en gineers cab, and which is provided with a series of shelves I2 to form compartments J2, adapted to hold the cards lf2, bearing the names of the way-stations where cars are to be cut outof the train and the numbers of the cars to be left at such stations. The case'H2 is provided at its sides with doors O2, having suitable fastenings M2, through which access may be had to the interior of the case, thus enabling the engineer, when a car is being switched off, to remove or reverse the corresponding car, and thus assisting him in properly control: ling and operating the nncoupling device.

In Fig. l0 of the drawings I have illustrated a modification of my invention, which consists in providing the front end of the shaft B with a rack-bar M6, suitably connected thereto by means of brackets N, and engaging a pinionOS, mounted upon a transverse shaft B5, which is journaled in suitable bearings, and is provided at its inner end with a hand-Wheel Q2, which may be conveniently reached and operated by the engineer. It is obvious that the shaft B will be arranged to revolve in the brackets N6, while the latter are so arranged as to be prevented from having any longitudinal movement in the pintle I) of the shaft.

The operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed.

By means of this device any one of the cars of a train may be readily disconnected or uncoupled and switched off and the remainder of the cars be connected as before. In the drawings hereto annexed the indicating-disk A2 has been shown to be provided only with eight numbers corresponding with as many cars; but it is obvious that this number may be readily increased as long as the correspending arrangement of the notches U in the 4ianges of the shaft-sections N is correctly adhered to, as well as the arrangement of the radially-extending hooks and eyes G2 and F2 upon the shaft-sections N and M.

It will be noticed that while the engineer is enabled by my invention to control and perform the coupling and uncoupling of the cars such coupling and uncouplin g may also be performed, when desired, by simply manipulating the operating-cord L by hand and without necessity of going in between the cars.

The link-guide U herein described is automatic in its action and will guide the link of the opposing draw-head into the draw-head to which it is attached with certainty when the cars come together. The saddle or clip to which the guide-plate and supportingspring are attached may be readily removed, by simply removing the pin or bolt P2, and attaching it to another draw-head. The coupling-pin, being held down by the action of the spring J', will be held safely to its seat under all circumstances, no matter to what jolting and unevenness of motion the cars may be subjected. It will also be particularly noticed that the spring-bearings for the bracket-sockets and for the boxes or hangers by which the longitudinal shaft is attached to the cars allow an opportunity for the several parts to play or work freely without becoming disconnected, thereby avoiding all ydanger of injury to the working parts of the invention by the swaying and undulating motion of the cars while in transit.

The construction is comparatively simple,

and the coupling and uncoupling of the cars of the entire train are under the perfect control and supervision of the engineer who may attend thereto without leaving his cab.

It is obvious that many details of the construction of this device may be altered or modified without interfering with the successful operation, and I reserve the right to make such alterations and modifications as may be deemed expedient without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a device for coupling and uncoupling cars, the combination of a longitudinal shaft attached' to a car in such a manner as to be capable of longitudinal movement, a hook extending radially from said shaft, a horizontally-arranged arm or lever having a block provided with a downwardly-extending eye adapted to engage the said hook, and a rope passing over suitable guide-pulleys and connecting the said block with the coupling-pin, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of the longitudinal shaft, the boxes or bearings mounted upon the outer ends of the arms or brackets in such a manner as to be capable of longitudinal movement, and the sockets connected pivotally with the inner ends of the arms or brackets and having flanges whereby they IOO IIO

IZO

are mounted in and enabled to slide longitudinally in suitable icasings attached to the side of the car, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the sockets D D, having slots I, the arms OC, mounted pivotally in said slots, and the springs J, arranged in said slots and bearing againt the pivot: pins, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the arm or bracket C, arranged as herein described, the pin or bolt Q, the lever P', and the block O', connected With the coupling-pin by means of a rope passing over suitable guide-pulleys, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination of the shaft-section N, mounted to revolve in the coupling-box L, and having a polygonal recess at its front end, with the shaft-section N, adapted to be mount-ed detachably in the said coupling-box, and provided with a nipple or extension adapted to enter the said recess in the section N, su-bstantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the coupling-box L, having the Haring mouth V, provided with the tapering rib or iiange W, with the shaftsection M., mounted to' revolve in said coupling-box, and the shaft-section N, having the flange T, provided with notch U, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the coupling-box L, having iiaring mouth B, provided With rib or iiange W, the shaft-section M, mounted to revolve in said shaft-coupling box and having recess R, and the shaft-section N, having4 notched iianges T and nipple or extension S, substantially as set forth.

8. In adevice for coupling and unconpling cars, the combination, with suitable supports or bearings, of a longitudin ally movable and revoluble shaft extending through the entire length of the train and composed of sections connected to the individual cars thereof, and suitable means for connecting or coupling together the said shaft-sections and foruncoupling or disconnecting them at any particular time When it is desired to break the train, substantially as herein described.

9. In a device for coupling and uncoupling cars, a longitudinal shaft extendingv through the entire length of the train and composed of longitudinally-movable sections attached to the individual cars, in combination with the shaft-couplings, constructed substantially as described, and so arranged as to admit of the shaft being disconnected only at one particular point at a given time, substantially as set forth. Y Y

lO. In a device for coupling and uncoupling cars, the combination of the longitudinally-l movable shaft, the herein-described couplings for connecting the sections of thesame, and an indicator-disk at the front end of said shaft accessible to t-he engineer and `having numbered notches that correspond with and may be brought into alignment Wit-h; the.

shaft-couplings of any*correspondingly-numbered car, substantially as herein described.

ll. The hooks and eyes G2 F2, extending radially from the shaft-sections M and N, and registering with the notches U, formed in the flanges T upon the shaft-sections N, substanftially as and for the purpose set forth.

l2. The combination of the shaft B, the

brackets N, journaled upon the said shaft JOHN N. SCARBOROUGH.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, R. JRMARSHALL. 

